Category Archives: Plants

Belize, Farming, Food, Plants

On The Farm.

Munchkin.Another.LookThe whole house smells of bean juice with trays of hatcho miso and buckets of beans soaking in water.  At this point, all windows have to be opened or else one can get over-whelmed  by the fart smell of bean.  What better reason to take a look outside and tell you what interesting things are happening on the farm.

First of all, one jackfruit tree has started bearing this year:

Jackfruit on Tree.
Jackfruit on Tree.

We were not sure how to check for ripe fruit so we had to look up information on it; apparently, you can harvest them when they are green and to speed up maturity you can place it in the sun.  When ripe, the outer shell is suppose to crack with firm pressure placed on it.  Well, we have one of these babies getting a nice sun-tan outside and we can’t wait to eat it!  Jackfruit can get to a massive size (20kgs or 50lbs)…our are a modest 15lb (7kgs) in weight.

The kenep has just been flowering.  It has a lovely smell of vanilla which attracts honey bees.  Kenep fruit are similar to lychee in that there is an outer shell which you crack into with your teeth and then you bite into a thin soft flesh around a seed.  The great thing about this is that the seeds can be boiled and eaten.  So far, still no sign of fruit this year..

Kenep Flowers.
Kenep Flowers.

This is a grub that we found whilst digging around for sweet potatoes.  In Australia, they call them “Witchety Grubs” and traditionally they are eaten raw.  Gnome has eaten one before and said that it wasn’t that good…a bit over-rated!

Witchety Grub.
Witchety Grub.

We tried to throw this at a duckie and she looked at us in a “duckie” way…a sideways neophobic and partially horrified look…

Duckie Look.
Duckie Look.

Looks like she doesn’t know what to do with the Witchety Grub!

Belize, Farming, Food, Plants

Grape Day!

Munchkin.ShoutingThis morning we visited a friend who is growing grapes on his farm-land.  The grape vines are only 12 to 18 months and are already producing abundant bunches.  It is truly amazing to see grapes actually growing in the Toledo region of Belize because our average rainfall here is lots… annual rainfall is about 4000mm compared to about 1600mm for Northern Belize.  When I think about grapes growing, I usually think of Mediterranean climates.  Anyway, it just goes to show that you can make things happen if you have discipline and patience:

Row of Grape Vines.
Row of Grape Vines.

Another picture with Munchkin:

Munchkin and Grapes.
Munchkin and Grapes.

The grapes will be ready to eat in about 2 months…we will be re-visiting soon!

By the way, Gnome is going crazy with making another lot of Rice Koji today…and for the next 4 days!  He is unstoppable…

Fermentation Magic Continues.
Fermentation Magic Continues.
Belize, Farming, Plants

The Mind-Boggling Truth Behind Biomass.

Attacking.MunchkinAs Gnome would put it, “Biomass is a Bitch!” and I truly agree with him, after the amount of work I have done in gathering medicinal herbs to dry.  As mentioned before, we are working in partnership with BotanicaBelize to produce a line of facial products.  One of the products is a facial tea which is jam packed with an array of medicinal herbs and plants (according to the season in which they are picked).  This entire week, I have been picking Red Head (Hamelia patens), Plantain, Bamboo, Hierba del Cancer, Lemongrass, Hibiscus (Sorrel), Sage, Basil, Chanca Piedra, Noni Leaf, Mint, Culantro and Jackass Bitters.

Hamelia patens or Read Head.
Hamelia patens or Read Head.
Fresh Chanca Piedra.
Fresh Chanca Piedra.

And it is not just a few plants here and there as I gaily skip from one plant to the other.  No, it is actually a real labour of love where I gather bunches and bunches of each plant in a wheel barrow.  I sweat and I use muscle power (Munchkin Power!).  You will not believe the amount of fresh stuff that I have had to harvest to get a final dry weight…for every 2oz (60g) of dry weight in material, I have to gather 1.5 lbs (600g) of fresh herbs!  And this is dried noni leaf…about 2oz dried.

This was 600g of Fresh Leaf!
This was 600g of Fresh Leaf!

So, when you buy any dried tea like chamomile or mint, to give an example, each teabag is actually 1 oz (30g) of fresh herb.  It is totally mind-boggling…plus a lot of work if you do it yourself!

Anyway, I am glad I have done it!  It is nice to hoard everything in jars to display:

Jars of Herbs.
Jars of Herbs.
More Jars of Herbs.
More Jars of Herbs.

Yay!!  I managed to get all the herbs gathered and dried in time, despite Gnome’s frenzied time with Miso (!) Everything is All Right and I managed to finish off all the drying process this afternoon despite a surprise early afternoon blustery storm.

Belize, Farming, Food, Plants

Ora Pro Nobis Miso Soup.

Together.Munchking.PointingHello Everyone!!  I am attempting to manage Gnome in the house since his sinus problem seems to get worse every time he does some heavy work outside.  I have ordered him to make Rice Koji which takes 4 days in total; I am hoping to preoccupy him with miso making.  After all, he metered out a measly 9oz (270g) of home-made miso which we promptly finished in 48 hours and now, I have made him bring the whole gallon jar to the kitchen so I can feel comforted by the presence of a larger quantity.  Anyway, if you have read the previous blog, Gnome will have already explained that he has been bestowed the job of Miso Maker.  I just need to be patient and ration out the gallon of precious miso.

We have been eating Miso Soup with Ora-Pro-Nobis.

Ora Pro Nobis Leaves.
Ora Pro Nobis Leaves.

About a week ago, I wrote about this plant Pereskia aculeata, also known as Barbados Gooseberry.  I thought it very interesting because this is a popular vegetable in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais and outside of this place, it is not known or consumed.  Well, the fact that I do not live in that state does not stop me from eating this vegetable!

I cooked it as a kombu (seaweed) substitute in miso soup and it worked a treat.  It has a degree of succulence which makes it similar in texture to seaweed.

As a result of this wonderful discovery, we have decided to grow hedges and hedges of Ora-Pro-Nobis:

Pereskia aculeata. Flowers and Fruit.
Pereskia aculeata. Flowers and Fruit.

What a lovely plant…you can eat the gooseberries too!

Belize, Farming, Food, Plants

Unusual Exotic Fruits: Barbados Gooseberry.

Munchkin.Big.Eyes.Pink.CheeksThis is a beautiful cactus, with spiny stems and fragrant smelling flowers. I propagated it originally from one single seed about two years ago and now it is producing globular, orange fruit which are edible.

Pereskia aculeata. Flowers and Fruit.
Pereskia aculeata. Flowers and Fruit.

The fruit are acidic tasting like gooseberries and I imagine they would be good for jam making or fruit tarts.

Barbados Gooseberry Fruit.
Barbados Gooseberry Fruit.

I am really, really excited about this plant because I have just found out, on an Internet search that the green leaves can be cooked and eaten.  Apparently, there is a particular place in Brazil where this vegetable is prized and it is called Ora-Pro-Nobis meaning “Pray For Us.”

Edible Greens!!
Edible Greens!!

I can’t wait to try this as a vegetable.  It has been growing crazy and out of control so it will be a good excuse to cut it back.  I will definitely post a blog up about cooking with this new, exotic vegetable.

For those interested, this plant can be grown from seed or cutting and apparently, even from a fallen leaf.

Belize, Farming, Our Products, Plants

Sapodilla Seeds For Sale.

Munchkin.Sitting.DownWe are posting up our first lot of seeds for sale in The Apothecary.  This is the season for Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) and so we are offering these fresh seeds as a once off for the year. until they run out.

Just out of interest, when we first moved to Belize 10 years ago, one of the first things that we did was to buy fence posts to delineate a border around our farm.  In Belize, the best wooden posts, which are supposed to last a lifetime are ones cut from the sapodilla tree.  We ordered quite a fair amount and we felt that, out of respect for the tree, we would plant an orchard of them on our farm.

Sapodilla Fruit.
Sapodilla Fruit.

We bought a  wide variation of this fruit from Punta Gorda market; some were round-shaped, others heart-shaped and some very large like grapefruit.  We planted all the seeds from the different morphological varieties and the trees started bearing within 7 years.  It was a long time to wait but definitely worth it.

Sapodilla Fruit, Ready To Eat.
Sapodilla Fruit, Ready To Eat.

As you can see from our projects, it is a very good tasting fruit which is ideal for wine-making and culinary delights like curries and pasta sauces.  It can also be used for sweets like fruit tarts, jams and preserves.  Sapodilla has a unique sweet flavour of cinnamon and caramel; the texture is that of a grainy peach.  It is also a very good timber for fence posts and carpentry.  The seeds have medicinal value and can be used crushed up for insomnia and as a natural sedative.  The tree is famous for chicle which can be tapped from the trunk.

Sapodilla Seeds.
Sapodilla Seeds.

To germinate, they can be placed 2 inch deep in moist soil; this will take up to 6 weeks.  The other option is to carefully remove the shell from the seed (this can be a bit tricky) and then placing it in 2 inch deep soil.  The second option allows faster germination …usually within 2 weeks.  Keep the plant growing in a pot for a full year and once you are ready to plant, allow 10 metres (30 feet) between each sapodilla tree.  They get really big!!

For our international readers, you can grow this plant in a green house or indoors and kept like a bonsai.  Check out The Apothecary if you want some seeds.

Belize, Food, Plants

Sapodilla and Orange Peel Curry.

Just catching up on some recipes that I created over the last few weeks: Munchkin.Eating.BunIt is sapodilla season!!  This is a sweet tasting fruit with the flavour of caramel and cinnamon.  Gnome has got first dibs for making a Melomel (honey and fruit wine) but I have been sneaking some past him to create some tasty dishes..they don’t call me Ninja Munchkin for nothing!

Wheel Barrow of Sapodilla.
Wheel Barrow of Sapodilla.

Sapodilla fruit makes a great base for a curry especially with its aromatic cinnamon tones.  I have complimented this “earthiness” with dried orange peel which I have coarsely ground with a blender:

Dried Orange Peel.
Dried Orange Peel.

Other spices in the curry include: cumin, mustard seeds, fresh curry leaf and fennel.  Venison was cooked in the curry and then the dish was served with basmati rice.

Sapodilla Curry with Venison.
Sapodilla Curry with Venison.

Gnome decided to overlook the fact that I had taken some sapodillas, without his permission…since the curry was so good!!

For the full recipe, click on Sapodilla and Orange Peel Curry with Venison.

Belize, Farming, Food, Plants

Pigeon Pea and Green Papaya: Farm Fresh.

Munchkin.Eating.BunWe have been podding green pigeon (cajanus cajun) peas everyday to eat:

Pigeon Pea Plant with Green Pods.
Pigeon Pea Plant with Green Pods.
Podded Pigeon Peas.
Podded Pigeon Peas.

The plants have been very generous and we have had wonderful meals with this pea.  The pea tastes like a “green pea” and maintains its texture very well.  It only needs a 5 minute cooking time which makes it a versatile ingredient.

Today, I cooked Pigeon Peas with Green Papaya…all fresh from the farm.  Everything had the taste of vitality…something money can’t buy!!  Since we started living like this and cooking our own food, we actually find that we dislike eating out because nothing seems to have the freshness and individuality of home-cooked food.  Going to a restaurant just means eating something that is displayed nicely on a plate but does not necessarily have the best ingredients (ie. bulk buckets of processed material).

Pigeon Pea and Green Papaya.
Pigeon Pea and Green Papaya.

Check out my recipe in the Belize Wild Recipes Section.  You can have this meal with a carbohydrate like bread or rice, if you like.  I am on a non-carbohydrate diet since the Chinese New Year Pig Out…too many mochi balls!! So, we just ate this with by itself.  Right now, my diet consists of fresh vegetables as above (one meal a day), no whites (carbs) and plenty of fresh fruit like papaya and oranges.  Seems to be working out well for me.

Belize, Food, Plants

Cantonese Gibnut with Taro.

Munchkin.Eating.BunGood Evening Everyone.  It has been a really drizzly day today so no farm things were accomplished.

We stayed indoors and continued eating left-overs from last night’s Chinese New Year extravaganza.

As promised, here are pictures of the Cantonese Gibut:

Finished Cantonese Gibnut.
Finished Cantonese Gibnut.

For anyone interested, the Gibnut is also known as a Paca which is a member of the genus Cuniculus of ground-dwelling, herbivorous rodents in South and Central America.

We cooked Taro, a type of ground root, as an accompaniment:

Sliced Taro.
Sliced Taro.

This tasty vegetable comes in different shades of purple and some are white.  We have a nice variety with purple flecks; once cooked, it becomes a uniform lilac.  It is an extremely glutinous vegetable which goes well with fatty meals.

This is what we had for Chinese New Year last night:

Sliced Cantonese Gibnut, Taro and Seasonal Vegetables.
Sliced Cantonese Gibnut, Taro and Seasonal Vegetables.

The Gibnut had the texture of suckling pig and it was extremely delicate tasting.  The meat was so tender that it melted in your mouth.  It was well worth the preparation (6 hour marinating and 6 hours cooking time).  Gnome says that he would consider it a “prized” meat like venison or wild boar.

Check out my recipe: Cantonese Gibnut.  It is flavoured with Chinese five spices, crushed star anise and orange peel.

Belize, Farming, Food, Plants

Adventures with Pigeon Pea.

Munchkin.Another.LookWe have been growing Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan) for many years and alas, I have to admit that I have neglected the wonders of this food plant.  We haven’t actually been actively growing it; in fact, it started off as a single seed which we planted on the farm and now due to voluntary seeding, we have about 20 plants which are happily producing a bountiful crop.

In the past, I have harvested the pods in the fully dried form and cooked it as a lentil substitute.  It has a good, nutty taste but in its raw form, it is extremely hard in consistency so in order to cook it, it takes about 3 hours.  The slow cooking time of this legume has been holding me back from experimenting with it.

Dried Pods of Pigeon Pea.
Dried Pods of Pigeon Pea.

This year, I have decided to be a bit more flexible with it and I am trying to find other ways of eating it.  The pods can be picked at a green (almost yellow in colour) stage and cooked like peas.  I actually achieved a good result with the peas cooked in rice and bacon.

At its greenest stage, when seeds have not formed, apparently the whole pod can be eaten.  The green pods took ages (well, half an hour) to cook to tenderness.  They were actually a let down and tasted over-cooked and sucked of all vitality.

Green Pigeon Pea.
Green Pigeon Pea.

Anyway, the next experiment will be to sprout the dried seeds to see if this will reduce the cooking time.  I will keep you posted with my adventures with pigeon pea!